Book-Thai History Thailand is a country with many moods. Reckoned the world over for its multicultural society, it is seeped with varying customs and traditions. The Thai history dates back to the Neolithic civilization. Previously known as Siam, there are various aspects of Thai history. Thailand Early History Timeline From the 9th to the 11th centuries, a large part of central and western Thailand was under the Mon civilization. By the late 11th and early 12th century Khmer cultural influence could be greatly seen in their art, religion and language. Dating back to the 13th and 14th century, the two most popular Thai kingdoms Lan Na and Sukhothai established societies in the north and central parts of Thailand. Sukhohai was the earliest known independent Thai kingdoms and was named as ‘the dawn of hapiness’. Sukhothai period is considered to be the golden period of Thai history and culture. After the death of Khun Pha Muang, one of the founders of the kingdom of Sukhothai, the kingdom was enwrapped by the kingdom of Ayutthaya.

The Thai kings from the Ayutthaya kingdom became paramount by the 14th and the 15th centuries. The kingdom remained in power till the 18th century and is majorly responsible for shaping the culture of Thailand. After the fall of the Ayutthaya kingdom in the mid-18th century, Thon Buri became the new Thai capital. It was situated on the west bank of Chao Phraya, which at present is Bangkok city. This was the darkest period of Thai history. Following this dark phase was the Early Chakri period. Chakri who was a powerful general came into power in the year 1782. He moved the Thai capital from Thon Buri to a tiny village called ‘Bangkok’. It was during his reign that kingdom consolidated various smaller kingdoms and the Thai boundaries reached till modern day Laos and Cambodia. The kingdom’s expansion and rule came to a standstill till 1851. The reign of King Mongkut is believed to open up new avenues for Thailand in regard to the western world. Treaties were signed between Thailand and Britain, France, USA and many other European countries.

This was a great advantage and connected Thai economy to the western monetary system. Bangkok History - Bangkok Travel Bangkok History April 27, 2013 No Comments Bangkok – A Brief History Since the late 18th century, Bangkok has been the biggest and most significant city of Thailand. After the burning and destruction of Ayutthaya, Siam’s (currently named Thailand) ancient capital, by the Burmese in 1767, it was relocated to Old Bangkok or Thon Buri, down the west bank of Chao Phraya River. During the ascension to the throne of King Rama I in 1782, the capital was strategically relocated to a town across the river, placing the wide river between the Burmese (who often invades the city) and the capital. This town was called Bangkok, which means Village of Wild Plums, and was at that time mostly populated by Chinese traders. The king desired for his new capital to rival Ayutthaya’s grandeur, which has acted as the capital of Thailand for over four centuries.

By the end of Rama I’s sovereignty, the city was flourishing, and had created the Grand Palace, a walled palace compound, and Wat Phra Kaeo, a main Buddhist temple. To make the new capital stronger, he ordered the construction of a wall (7 kilometers long and 3 meters high) along the river to protect it from invasion. A lot of the Buddhist monasteries or wats in the city were built during the sovereignty of King Rama II and King Rama III. Aside from their spiritual purposes, the wats acted as medicine, recreation, and learning centers. The Wat Pho, the Wat Arun, and the Wat Yan Nawa are some of the well-known temples. Sadly, the rest of the capital was ignored during this time. There are nearly no paved roads, and the kings constructed only some key public structures. Ordinary city dwellers depended on khlongs (a series of linked canals) for transportation. It was during Rama V’s reign that public works became a main concern. He foresaw how automobiles are important and created a system of bridges and roads. Furthermore, the king established a telegraph and post service, a state railway, and an electric tram service.

Much of the history of the country has been a fight for power, and while Thailand has undergone numerous invasions, it boasts that it’s among a handful of Asian countries never occupied and colonized, but this is disputable since Japanese troops, during WWII, ruled a large portion of the country and were concentrated in the capital. The city has developed quickly in the past two decades. During the time of the Vietnam War, American soldiers utilized Bangkok as a destination for rest and relaxation. Back then, the population of the city was 1.5 million, which has since become bigger to roughly 10 million people. The city’s population increase resulted to pollution and congestion; its air pollution is possibly the world’s most terrible, and the lack of planning and overcrowding have affected everything, from housing to drinking water to transportation. During the ‘90s, the city had registered motor vehicles of nearly one million, in addition to the endlessly growing expressway system. Majority of the canals in Bangkok were filled and covered to build new roadways, which has caused portions of the city to submerge, and yearly flooding has become an issue. Then again, in spite of the modern problems, Bangkok preserves a great deal of its old appeal.

The historic structures, elaborate temples, and colorful markets of the city draw millions of visitors annually. Bangkok | national capital, Thailand | Britannica.com national capital, Thailand Bangkok, Thai Krung Thep, city, capital, and chief port of Thailand . It is the only cosmopolitan city in a country of small towns and villages and is Thailand’s cultural and commercial centre. The Grand Palace, Bangkok, Thailand. © Telegraph Colour Library—FPG International Bangkok is located on the delta of the Chao Phraya River , about 25 miles (40 km) from the Gulf of Thailand . It was formerly divided into two municipalities—Krung Thep on the east bank and Thon Buri on the west—connected by several bridges. In 1971 the two were united as a city-province with a single municipal government. In 1972 the city and the two surrounding provinces were merged into one province, called Krung Thep Maha Nakhon ( Bangkok Metropolis ). The metropolis is a bustling, crowded city, with temples, factories, shops, and homes juxtaposed along its roads and canals.

It is also a major tourist destination, noted for bountiful cultural attractions and a nightlife that includes a flourishing sex trade. The name Bangkok, used commonly by foreigners, is, according to one interpretation, derived from a name that dates to the time before the city was built—the village or district (bang) of wild plums (makok). The Thai call their capital Krung Thep, which is the first part of its mellifluous and lengthy official name meaning “the City of Gods, the Great City, the Residence of the Emerald Buddha , the Impregnable City (of Ayutthaya) of God Indra , the Grand Capital of the World Endowed with Nine Precious Gems, the Happy City Abounding in Enormous Royal Palaces Which Resemble the Heavenly Abode Wherein Dwell the Reincarnated Gods, a City Given by Indra and Built by Vishnukarm.” The abbreviated name Krung Thep is often translated as “City of Angels.” Area Bangkok Metropolis, 604 square miles (1,565 square km). Pop. (2000) 6,355,144.

Physical and human geography Scipio Africanus the Elder Most of the city’s water supply comes from purification plants; it is drawn from the Chao Phraya and from deep wells. The pumping of water from wells has caused subsidence in parts of the city, which has increased flooding. Many people obtain water from polluted waterways. Sanitation facilities include sewers, storm drains, and the canals; some large buildings are equipped with septic tanks. Bangkok consumes more than half of the country’s electric power. Health Bangkok has most of the country’s hospitals and clinics. Special services are offered for patients with tuberculosis and sexually transmitted diseases, and there are government homes for the indigent , handicapped, and aged. The Pasteur Institute and WHO supply vaccines. Family-planning clinics have proliferated in recent years. In the 1990s cases of AIDS increased among Bangkok’s prostitutes and drug users. The government has established special wards in hospitals to treat patients afflicted with the disease and has taken other measures to prevent the spread of HIV infection. Education Because of its high proportion of school-age citizens, Bangkok’s educational facilities are overburdened. There are too few schools, and the standard of instruction varies.

Literacy is extremely high, however. Many of the government-built preprimary and primary schools are located on monastery grounds. Private primary and secondary schools run by foreign religious missions train the children of the elite. There are many private Chinese primary schools and night schools. The city has several universities. Wat Pho , long a traditional centre of learning, has often been considered the city’s first university; it is one of the oldest and largest temples in Bangkok. Cultural life The most important cultural feature of Bangkok is the wat . There are more than 300 such temples, representing classic examples of Thai architecture. Most are enclosed by walls. Many wats have leased a portion of their grounds for residential or commercial use. The National Museum houses prehistoric and Bronze Age art relics, as well as royal objects dating to the 6th century ad. The city also houses the National Library and the Thai National Documentation Department. Jim Thompson’s Thai House, named for a U.S. entrepreneur and devotee of Thai culture , is composed of several traditional Thai mansions; it contains the country’s largest collection of 17th-century Thai religious paintings.

There are also collections of Dvaravati and Khmer sculpture, in addition to examples of Thai and Chinese pottery and porcelain. In 1987 the 200-acre (80-hectare) King Rama IX Royal Park with its extensive botanical gardens was opened to commemorate the king’s 60th birthday. All of the country’s daily newspapers and most of its weeklies and monthlies are published in Bangkok. Newspapers are printed in Thai, English, and Chinese. Radio and television are controlled by government agencies and the military. Most of the nation’s radio stations and all of its television stations are located in or near Bangkok. Most programs are in Thai, but some special programs are in English and Chinese. Motion pictures are extremely popular. There is a thriving Thai cinema industry, but films are also imported. Fairs, festivals, and “kite-fighting” contests are held in the parks. The Ratchadamnoen and Lumphini stadiums host professional boxing bouts featuring the highly ritualistic form of boxing known as Muai Thai. Silapakorn National Theatre presents dancing, drama, and music.

History Bangkok became the capital of Siam (as Thailand was previously known) in 1782, when General Chao Phraya Chakkri, the founder of the ruling Chakkri dynasty , assumed the throne as Rama I and moved the court from the west to the east bank of the Chao Phraya River. The move appears to have been dictated by strategic considerations: the wide westward bend in the river constituted a wide moat guarding the northern, western, and southern perimeters of the new site . To the east stretched a vast, swampy delta called the Sea of Mud, which could be traversed only with extreme difficulty. Rama I modeled the new city on the former capital, Ayutthaya, 40 miles (64 km) to the north. By the end of his reign the city was established. The walled Grand Palace complex and the temple Wat Pho were completed.

A new city wall, perhaps the most imposing structure, skirted the river and Khlong Ong Ang to the east; it was 4.5 miles (7 km) long, 10 feet (3 metres) thick, and 13 feet (4 metres) high, and it had 63 gates and 15 forts. The area enclosed amounted to 1.5 square miles (4 square km). Guardian statue at the Grand Palace, Bangkok. Brand X Pictures/Jupiterimages The Grand Palace complex, Bangkok. © Ron Gatepain (A Britannica Publishing Partner) More wats were built during the reigns of Rama II (1809–24) and Rama III (1824–51). They served as schools, libraries, hospitals, and recreation areas, as well as religious centres. During these years Wat Arun, noted for its tall spire, Wat Yan Nawa, and Wat Bowon Niwet were completed, Wat Pho was further enlarged, and Wat Sutat was begun. There were, however, few other substantial buildings and fewer paved streets; the river and the network of interconnected canals served as roadways.

Rama IV (1851–68) developed the city while continuing, at a reduced rate, the traditional building of wats. The Grand Palace was improved, a number of substantial dwellings were constructed for members of the royal family, several new streets were laid down, and a reduction was made in the large number of floating houses anchored along the riverfront. A new route, Charoen Krung (New Road), leading southward, was constructed, and a new city moat, Khlong Phadung Krung Kasem, parallel to the city’s first canal , was dug and fortified; a long canal led from it to the present port area (Khlong Toei), thus allowing small boats to bypass the large bend in the river immediately south of the city. A pony path, now a major highway, was laid atop the mud heaped up beside this waterway. During the long reign of Rama V, King Chulalongkorn (1868–1910), the city was transformed through a program of public works. The great triple-spired Chakkri Building in the Grand Palace was completed by 1880.

The Dusit Palace and an ancillary garden city were later built beyond the wall, being connected to the Grand Palace by the European-inspired Ratchadamnoen Nok Road. A road- and bridge-building program was embarked on in earnest, because King Chulalongkorn, an early automobile enthusiast, foresaw the effect that the motor vehicle would have on city development. Most of the now obsolete city wall was pulled down to build the roads, but two forts, a large gate, and a section of the wall were preserved. The centenary of the city, in 1882, was marked by the inauguration of many social reforms, manifested in the public buildings used for their administration, as well as by the completion of the great royal temple, Wat Phra Kaeo, which housed the Emerald Buddha. A post and telegraph service was organized in the 1880s, an electric tram service was instituted on Charoen Krung in 1892, and the first line of the State Railway, running from Bangkok to Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya , opened in 1900.

Nor were aesthetic considerations forgotten, for other new buildings included the marble temple of Wat Benchamabopit (1900), elegant bridges in the French style, and the Italian-inspired National Assembly Hall (Throne Hall). Buddha statues at Phra Mondop (the library), part of the Temple of the Emerald Buddha complex (Wat … © Ron Gatepain (A Britannica Publishing Partner) Walls surrounding the Temple of the Emerald Buddha (Wat Phra Kaeo), Bangkok. © Ron Gatepain (A Britannica Publishing Partner) Rama VI (1910–25) continued the program of public works. He established Chulalongkorn University in 1916, built a system of locks to control the level of waterways throughout the city, and gave the public its first and largest recreational area— Lumphini Park. During Rama VII’s reign (1925–35) municipal areas were delimited as part of a general administrative reorganization aimed at decentralization. In 1937 Bangkok was formally divided into the municipalities of Krung Thep and Thon Buri .

At the time of their establishment, the two municipalities, approximately equal in area, together covered about 37 square miles (96 square km); about four-fifths of the city’s population lived in Krung Thep. Since World War II Bangkok has grown with unprecedented rapidity, which caused problems with transportation, communication, housing, water supply, drainage, and pollution. Tourism rose in importance during the Vietnam War , when the city became a popular destination for U.S. military personnel. By the 1980s, nightclubs and the tourist sex trade—as well as crime and sexually transmitted diseases—were flourishing. Although prostitution is formally illegal and the number of prostitutes per capita is lower in Thailand than in some other Asian countries, the city’s commercial sex industry employs an estimated 100,000 people and is popular among foreign tourists. However, the vast majority of clients are Thai nationals. To combat abuses, notably underage prostitution, the government stiffened penalties for both patrons and brothel operators during the 1990s.

That those responsible for modernizing the metropolis are coping with these problems suggests the appropriateness of its official emblem: the God Indra seated atop a sacred white elephant, the four tusks of which denote its celestial status and its ability to accomplish the impossible. Throughout the 1980s the city experienced an economic boom, which was blunted by an economic crisis that hit Asia in the late 1990s. However, the city continued its role as one of Asia’s most important tourist, financial, and commercial centres. The city’s uniquely Thai character, while perhaps diminishing, provides a vibrant backdrop for Bangkok’s cosmopolitan image. History of THAILAND Ayutthaya Period For 417 years the kingdom of Ayutthaya was the dominant power in the fertile Menam or Chao Phraya Basin. Its capital was Ayutthaya, an island-city situated at the confluence of three rivers, the Chao Phraya, the Pasak, and the Lopburi, which grew into one of Asia's most renowned metropolises, inviting comparison with great European cities such as Paris.

The city must indeed have looked majestic, filled as it was with hundreds of monasteries and crisscrossed with several canals and waterways which served as roads. Ayutthaya, the capital of the Thai Kingdom was found by U-Thong King in 1350. Ayutthaya as an island is formed by the gathering of three rivers, the Chao Phraya, the Pasak, and the Lopburi and surrounded by rice terraces. It is easy to see why the Ayutthaya area was settled prior to this date since the site offered a variety of geographical and economic advantages. Not only is Ayutthaya at the confluence of three rivers, plus some canals, but its proximity to the sea also gave its inhabitants an irresistible stimulus to engage in maritime trade. The rice fields in the immediate environs flooded each year during the rainy season, rendering the city virtually impregnable for several months annually. These fields, of course, had an even more vital function, that of feeding a relatively large population in the Ayutthaya region. Rice grown in these plants yielded a surplus large enough to be exported regularly to various countries in Asia.

The Thai kings of Ayutthaya became powerful in the 14th and 15th centuries, taking over U-Thong, Lopburi, and Ayutthaya. Ayutthaya's first king, Ramathibodi I, was both a warrior and a lawmaker. Some old laws codified in 1805 by the first Bangkok king date from this much earlier reign. King Ramathibodi I and his immediate successors expanded Ayutthaya's territory, especially northward towards Sukhothai and eastward towards the Khmer capital of Angkor. By the 15th century, Ayutthaya had established a firm hegemony over most of the northern and central Thai states, though attempts to conquer Lanna failed. Ayutthaya also captured Angkor on at least one occasion but was unable to hold on to it for long. The Ayutthaya kingdom thus changed, during the 15th century, from being a small state primus inter pares among similar states in central Thailand into an increasingly centralized kingdom wielding tight control over a core area of territory, as well as having looser authority over a string of tributary states.

King U-Thong and his immediate successors expanded Ayutthaya's territory, especially northward towards Sukhothai and eastward towards the Khmer capital of Angkor. The greater size of Ayutthaya's territory, as compared with that of Sukhothai, meant that the method of government could not remain the same as during the days of King Ramkhamhaeng. The paternalistic and benevolent Buddhist kingship of Sukhothai would not have worked in Ayutthaya. The king of the latter therefore created a complex administrative system allied to a hierarchical social system. This administ rative system dating from the reign of King Trailok, or Borommatrailokanat(1448-1488), was to evolve into the modern Thai bureaucracy. The Ayutthaya bureaucracy contained a hierarchy of ranked and titled officials, all of whom had varying amounts of "honor marks" (sakdina). Thai society during the Ayutthaya period also became strictly hierarchical. There were, roughly, three classes of people, with the king at the very apex of the structure.

At the bottom of the social scale, and the most numerous, were the commoners (freemen or phrai) and the slaves. Above the commoners were the officials or "nobles" (khunnang), while at the top of the scale were the princes (chao). The one classless sector of Thai society was the Buddhist monkhood, or sangha, into which all classes of Thai men could be ordained. The monkhood was the institution which could weld together all the different social classes, the Buddhist monasteries being the center of all Thai communities both urban and a gricultural. The Ayutthaya kings were not only Buddhist kings who ruled according to the dhamma (dharma), but they were also devaraja, god-kings whose sacred power was associated with the Hindu, gods Indra and Vishnu. To many Western observers, the kings of Ayutthaya were treated as if they were gods. The French Abbe de Choisy, who came to Ayutthaya in 1685, wrote that, "the king has absolute power.

He is truly the god of the Siamese: no-one dares to utter his name." Another 17th century writer, the Dutchman Van Vliet, remarked that the king of Siam was "honoured and worshipped by his subjects more than a god. The Ayutthaya period was early Thai history's great era of international trade. Ayutthaya's role as a port made it one of Southeast Asia's richest emporia. The port of Ayutthaya was an entrepot, an international market place where goods from the Far East could be bought or bartered in exchange for merchandise from the Malay/Indonesian Archipelago, India, or Persia, not to mention local wares or produce from Ayutthaya's vast hinterland. The trading world of the Indian Ocean was accessible to Ayutthaya through its possession, for much of its 417-year history, of the seaport of Mergui on the Bay of Bengal. This port in Tenasserim province was linked to the capital by a wild but ancient and frequently used overland trade route.

Throughout its long history, Ayutthaya had a thriving commerce in "forest produce", principally sapanwood (a wood which produces reddish dye), eaglewood (an aromatic wood), benzoin (a type of incense), gumlac (used as wax), and deerhides (much in d emand in Japan). Elephant teeth and rhinoceros horns were also highly valued exports, but the former was a strict royal monopoly and the latter relatively rare, especially compared with deerhides. Ayutthaya also sold provisions such as rice and dried fish to other Southeast Asian states. The range of minerals found in the kingdom was limit ed, but tin from Phuket ("Junkceylon") and Nakhon Si Thammarat ("Ligor") was much sought after by both Asian and European traders. The Chinese, with their large and versatile junks, were the traders who had the most regular and sustained contact with Ayutthaya. The Ayutthaya kings, in order to conduct a steady and profitable trade with Ming and Manchu China, from the 14th to t he 18th centuries, entered willingly into a tributary relationship with the Chinese emperors.

The Thais recognized Chinese suzerainty and China's preeminent position in Asia in return for Chinese political sanction and, even more desirable, Chinese luxury goods. Muslim merchants came from India and further West to sell their highly-prized clothes both to Thais and to other foreign traders. So dominant were Chinese and Muslim merchants in Ayutthaya that an old Thai law dating back to the 15th century divides the Thai king's foreign trade department into two: a Chinese section and a Muslim section. Chinese, Indians, and later on Japanese and Persians all settled in Ayutthaya, the Thai kings welcoming their presence and granting them complete freedom of worship. Several of these foreigners became important cour t officials. Containing merchandise from all corners of Asia, the thriving markets of Ayutthaya attracted traders from Europe. The Portuguese were the first to arrive, in 1511, at the time when Albuquerque was attempting to conquer Melaka (Malacca). They conclu ded their first treaty with Ayutthaya in 1516, receiving permission to settle in Ayutthaya and other Thai ports in return for supplying guns and ammunition to the Thai king.

Portugal's powerful neighbor Spain was the next European nation to arrive in Ayutthaya, towards the end of the 16th century. The early 17th century saw the arrival of two northern European East India Companies: The Du tch (V.O.C) and the British. The Dutch East India Company played a vital role in Ayutthaya's foreign trade from 1605 until 1765, succeeding in obtaining from the Thai kings a deerhide export monopoly as well as one of all the tin sold at Nakhon Si Thammarat. The Dutch sold Thai sapanwood and deerhides for good profits in Japan during Japan's exclusion period, after 1635. The French first arrived in 1662, during the reign of Ayutthaya's most outward-looking and cosmopolitan ruler, King Narai (1656-1688). French missionaries and merchants came to the capital, and during the 1680's splendid embassies were exchanged between King Narai and King Louis XIV.

The French tried to convert King Narai to Christianity and also attempted to gain a foothold in the Thai kingdom when, in 1687, they sent troops to garrison Bangkok and Mergui. When a succession conflict broke out in 1688 an anti-French official seized power, drove out the French garrisons, and executed King Narai's Greek favorite Constantine Phaulkon, who had bee championing the French cause. After 1688, Ayutthaya had less cont act with Western nations, but there was no policy of national exclusion. Indeed, there was increased trading contact with China after 1683,and there was continued trade with the Dutch, the Indians, and various neighbouring countries. Ayutthaya's relations with its neighbours were not always cordial. Wars were fought against Cambodia, Lanna , Lanchang (Laos), Pattani, and above all, Burma, Ayutthaya's powerful neighbour to the west. Burmese power waxed an d waned in cycles according to their administrative efficiency in the control of manpower. Whenever Burma was in an expansionist phase, Ayutthaya suffered.

In 1569, King Bayinnaung captured Ayutthaya, thus initiating over a decade's subjection to the Burmese. One of the greatest Thai military leaders, Prince (later King) Naresuan, then emerged to declare Ayutthaya's independence and to defeat the Burmese in several battles and skirmishes, culminating in the victory of Nong Sarai, when he killed the Burmese Crown Prince in combat on elephant back. During the 18th century Burma again adopted an expansionist policy. The kings of the Alaunghphaya Dynasty were intent on subduing the Ayutthaya kingdom, then in cultural and artistic prime. The Burmese invaded Ayutthaya in 1765. This time Burmese caused much fear to Thais. Burmese soldiers destroyed everything, including temples, manuscripts, and religious sculpture. After the capital fell in their hands for two years, the Burmese effectiveness could not further hold the kingdom. Phaya Taksin, a Thai general, promoted himself to be the king in 1769.

He ruled the new capital of Thonburi on the bank of Chao Phraya River, opposite Bangkok. Thais regained control of their country and thus scattered themselves to the provinces in the north and central part of Thailand. Taksin eventually turn himself to be the next Buddha and was dismissed and executed by his ministers who did not approve his religious values. King Taksin King Taksin The area which is now Thailand has been populated since the beginning of civilization in Asia. By the13th century, the Thais ruled over states as far apart as Lanna, Suphannaphum (Suphanburi), Nakorn Si Thammarat and Sukhothai. Sukhothai, however, emerged as the strongest Thai Kingdom in the 13th and started its decline in the14th century. In 1350, the Kingdom of Ayutthaya was "founded" and became the most dominant city state, spreading its influence through warfare and trade all over Southeast Asia. During the 18th century, Burma again expanded its territories and defeated the Thais in several battles.

In 1767, after a 15 month seige, Ayutthaya was sacked and burnt by the Burmese, ending its political dominance of the peninsula. A savior of the Thai state emerge – King Taksin the Great who, after a few years, gathered together enough forces to defeat the Burmese and set up the Kingdom of Thonburi. King Taksin was the only king of the Thon Buri Period. He has been recognized as one of the great Thai kings, for his prowess in warfare, his leadership in liberating the country after Ayutthaya was taken by the Burmese in 1767, and his ability in unifying the country after it had been split up into many factions. King Taksin was born in 1733 in the reign of King Borommakot of Ayutthaya. He was originally called Sin. His father was a Chinese named Haihong of the Tae clan, who had immigrated to Thailand. The King's mother was a Thai called Nok Lang.There is reliable evidence, that prior to his entering government service, Sin was a trader with a fleet of carts.

Later, in recognition of services he had rendered, he was appointed Governor of Tak Province. In 1765, Phraya Tak came to Ayutthaya to help defend the capital. He fought valiantly and earned great recognition. He was promoted to the title and rank of Phraya Wachira Prakan, Governor of Kamphaeng Phet. It is believed, that prior to the fall of Ayutthaya, he got out of the capital by fighting his way through the Burmese seige with the aim of assembling men to liberate the country. According to the royal Thai chronicle, Phraya Tak and his followers, after breaking out of Ayutthaya, headed for the east coast. On the way, they encountered many Burmese troops but were able to defeat them all. He became widely known for his military prowess and many came to pledge their service. In the fifth lunar month of the year 1767, Ayutthaya was lost to the Burmese and the attitudes of high ranking officials changed with the situation. Some thought of setting themselves up as heads of state.

Even Phraya Chantaburi, who had promised friendship to Phraya Tak, revoked his promise. The latter, therefore, led his army to capture Chantaburi and Trad and returned to make a stand at Chantaburi, making it his headquarters for collection of provisions and arms. In the meantime, other commanders and officers came to join him. The most important was Nai Sudchinda, an officer of the Royal Pages Department, who later became Khrom Phra Ratchawang Bawon Sathan Monkon in the Reign of King Rama I. At the end of the monsoon season, Phraya Tak led his forces from Chantaburi to the Chao Phraya River delta in the twelfth lunar month of the same year. After he had taken Thon Buri, he attacked the Pho Sam Ton Camp in Ayutthaya and was able to seize the camp in two days. His triumph over the Burmese at the Pho Sam Ton Camp was symbolic of the liberation of the country. After capturing the camp, he tried to put the country back in order.

Then he brought people back to Thon Buri and established it as his capital because the site was more appropriate than Ayutthaya. In 1768 he was crowned king. After the coronation, King Taksin proceeded at once to unify the country . Besides waging war to drive the Burmese out of the country, the king had to subdue the Thais who set themselves up as heads of various factions. His military successes resulted in the country being united once again. Although warfare took up most of King Taksin's time, he paid a great deal of attention to politics, administration, economy, and the welfare of the country. He promoted trade and fostered relations with foreign countries including China, Britain and the Netherlands. He had roads built and canals dug. Apart from restoring and renovating temples, the king attempted to revive literature, and various branches of the arts such as drama, painting, architecture and handicrafts. He also issued regulations for the collection and arrangement of various texts to promote education and religious studies.Towards the end of the reign, there was trouble in Thon Buri, which was then called Chao Phraya San.

Somdet Chao Phraya Maha Kasatsuhk hurried back from his campaign in Cambodia, held an investigation, and let the officials decide on appropriate punishment for King Taksin.Then the people asked the Somdet Chao Phraya to take the throne and rule the country. King Taksin was put to death on April 6,1782 at the age of 48 after a 15-year reign. After he was executed, his remains were buried at Wat (Temple) Bang Yireua Tai, in 1785, King Rama I (Buddha Yodfa) had the remains disinterred and cremated at the same temple. A tomb containing King Taksin's clothes and a family shrine were found at Ching Hai district in Taechiew province in China in 1921. It is believed that a decendant of King Taksin the Great must have sent his clothes to be buried there to conform to Chinese practice. This supports the claim that the place was his father's hometown. King Taksin had accomplished so much for the Thais in his short reign.

Without his leadership, the country would not have been rid of the Burmese and become unified so soon. In recognition of what he had done for the country, the government has declared December 28 a day of homage to the King. A state ceremony has been held annually at the memorial to King Taksin the Great in Wongwian Yai in Bangkok since 1954. On October 27, 1981, the cabinet passed a resolution to honor him as "King Taksin the Great." Bangkok (Thailand) - Credo Reference Summary Article: Bangkok from The Hutchinson Unabridged Encyclopedia with Atlas and Weather Guide Capital and port of Thailand, on the east bank of the River Chao Phraya, 40 km/24 mi from the Gulf of Thailand; population (2000 est) 6,320,200; the population of the whole metropolitan area, including the industrial centre of Thon Buri across the river, is 10,068,000 (2000 est). It is the economic centre of the country and the hub of the transport system.

The port is accessible to smaller ocean-going ships, but much of its trade now passes through outports, such as Samut Prakan. Industries such as the manufacture of automobile parts, computers, and textiles have largely overtaken agricultural output. Banking and tourism are particularly important economically, while other industries include paper, ceramics, cement, silk, tobacco, and rice. The city has been the headquarters of the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO) since 1955, and hosted the 13th Asian Games in 1998. History While still a village, Bangkok became the capital of the country then known as Siam in 1782, when Chao Phraya Chakkri, known as Rama I, set up his government there and fortified the city with a 7 km/4.4 mi wall with 15 forts and 63 gates, after the Burmese had burned down the former capital, Avuthia, about 65 km/40 mi to the north.

Life in the city was for long founded on the canals, or klongs, which provided valuable defences as well as means of transport, and Bangkok was known as the ‘Venice of the East’. In the later 19th century, under Rama V, trade was stimulated as the canals and most of the city wall were largely displaced by the building of a network of roads and bridges. The hosting of the 13th Asian Games in 1998 brought about the construction of a large number of new roads, which helped to relieve traffic congestion in the city. Features Bangkok contains the 18th-century walled Grand Palace (1782) and some 400 Buddhist temples, known as wats, including the Wat Po and the Wat Emerald Buddha. Wat Suthat, built by King Rama III in the 19th century contains a 14th-century Buddha. Bangkok is also the home of a number of universities including Chulalongkorn (1917), Thammasat (1934), Kasetsart (1943), and Mahidol (1969).

Traditional buildings, including those on stilts near waterways, are still evident but the urban landscape is now dominated by modern buildings, including skyscrapers. The city it is now served by a major international airport, Don Muang. images Bangkok | Journeys International Journeys International Bangkok Bangkok BANGKOK is the capital, largest urban area and primary city of Thailand. Known in Thai as Krung Thep Mahanakhon, meaning "city of angels" for short, it was a small trading post at the mouth of the Chao Phraya River during the Ayutthaya Kingdom. It came to the forefront of Siam when it was given the status as the capital city in 1768 after the burning of Ayutthaya. However, the current Rattanakosin Kingdom did not begin until 1782 when the capital was moved across the river by Rama I after the death of King Taksin. The Rattanakosin capital is now more formally called "Phra Nakhon", pertaining to the ancient boundaries in the metropolis' core and the name Bangkok now incorporates the urban build-up since the 18th century which has its own public administration and governor.

Since its inception as the capital of Siam, it was at the center of European Colonial plans, but due to its strategic location in Indochina, it acted as a buffer-zone and brokered power between the European forces. Through this, it gained notoriety in the world as an independent, dynamic and influential city. And in the span of over two hundred years, Bangkok has grown to become the political, social and economic center of Thailand, Indochina and one of Southeast Asia. As a direct result of the 1980s and 1990s Asian investment boom, numerous multinational corporations base their regional headquarters in Bangkok and the city has become a regional force in finance and business. Its increasing influence on global politics, culture, fashion and entertainment underlines its status as an Alpha global city. In 2009, it was the second most expensive city in South-East Asia behind Singapore. The city's wealth of cultural landmarks and attractions in addition to its notorious entertainment venues has made it synonymous with exoticism. Its historic wealth coincides with its rapid modernization, reflected in the cityscape and the urban society.

The Grand Palace, Vimanmek Palace Complex, its thousands of temples, and the city's notorious red-light districts combine draw in 11 million international visitors each year, trailing just Paris and London. Bangkok has a population of approximately 6,355,144 residents while the greater Bangkok area has a population of 11,971,000 (January 2008). The capital is part of the heavily urbanized triangle of central and eastern Thailand which stretches from Nakhon Ratchasima along Bangkok to the heavily Industrialized Eastern Seaboard. Bangkok borders six other provinces: Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Samut Prakan, Samut Sakhon and Nakhon Pathom, and all five provinces are joined in the conurbation of the Bangkok Metropolitan Area. It is served by two international airports, Suvarnabhumi Airport and Don Mueang International Airport, four rapid transit lines operated by the BTS, MRT, and the SRT, with plans to add eight more by 2020. Tourism Bangkok, sometimes called "The Big Chilli", is considered to be one of the world's tourist hotspots.

Bangkok is Thailand's major tourist gateway, which means that the majority of foreign tourists arrive in Bangkok. The city boasts some of the country's most visited historical venues such as the Grand Palace, Wat Pho, and Wat Arun. There are numerous projects to maintain Bangkok's historic sites in the Rattanakosin area and river districts. Palaces and Wats Chakri Maha Prasat Throne Hall is a 19th century styled building with a traditional Thai stucco roof, located within the Grand Palace compound. Wat Arun is one of the most visited temples in Bangkok. The Bangkok Metropolitan Area is home to two capitals of Thailand: the area historically known as Rattanakosin, and the modern Bangkok. There are a large number of palaces in Bangkok. Several are still in use by the Thai royal family, while others are now open to the public and some have become government buildings or universities. The king's official residence is the Grand Palace, which dates to 1782 and has housed Thailand's monarchs for over 150 years.

Up to the early 20th century and before the 1932 Revolution, the complex was key in Thai government: it included royal courts, administrative branches, and was similar in layout to that of previous Thai capitals. Within the complex is the Chakri Mahaprasat Hall and Wat Phra Kaew, which houses the Emerald Buddha and is considered the most important temple in Thailand. Chitralada Palace is the Bangkok residence of King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX) and Queen Sirikit. Of the hundreds of wats located in Bangkok, only a few are notable. When King Taksin led his troops out of Ayutthaya and into Thon Buri, they took refuge in Wat Arun. This pre-Thon Buri era structure rises to 85 metres (279 ft) and has held the status of tallest structure in Bangkok for longer than any other modern skyscraper. Wat Pho, which houses the Temple of the Reclining Buddha or Wat Phra Chetuphon, is located behind the Temple of the Emerald Buddha in the Grand Palace.

It is the largest temple in Bangkok and named for its huge reclining Buddha measuring 46 metres (151 ft) long and covered in gold leaf. The Buddha's feet alone are 3 metres (10 ft) long. Wat Suthat is one of the oldest temples and the site of the original Giant Swing. A huge teak arch, all that remains of the original swing, stands on the grounds in front of the temple. The swing was used in a ceremony to give thanks for a good rice harvest. Within Wat Saket is the Golden Mount, or Phu Khao Thong, an unusual temple that houses Buddha relics within its 58-metre-high chedi surmounted by a golden cupola. Built by King Rama I just outside the new city walls, the late-18th century temple served as the capital's crematorium. During the next hundred years, the temple became a dumping ground for some 60,000 plague victims. Museums National Gallery Museum is a former location of the Royal Thai Mint and now exhibits collections of both traditional Thai and contemporary arts by past as well as present famous artists of Thailand. Oil paintings by His Majesty the King are also exhibited here.

National Museum is a former palace of the Wang Na or second king – Kromphraratchawangbowon Mahasurasinghanat – built simultaneously with the Grand Palace, the complex comprises several major throne halls such as Phra Thinang Siwamok Phiman, Phra Thinang Phutthaisawan and Phra Thinang Itsara Winitchai. Suan Pakkad Palace is a complex of five Thai-style houses was once the residence of one of Thailand’s leading art collectors, Prince Chumbhot of Nagara Svarga. It houses an extensive collection of Asian art and antiques, including items from the prehistoric Ban Chiang civilisation, and also an impressive collection of seashells. Khon (classical Thai masked dance) Museum and Traditional Thai Music Museum are also established here. Vimanmek Mansion Museum is the world’s largest golden teak building located in the compound of the Dusit Palace on Ratchawithi Road. The three-story royal mansion has 81 rooms, halls and ante-chambers containing fin de siecle royal memorabilia.

There is also a royally-sponsored Thai art masterpieces on display at the Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall as part of the 'Arts of the Kingdom' exhibition, which is located nearby. Jim Thompson Museum: This collection of traditional Thai-style houses, fashioned into one dwelling, belongs to the man who helped restore the Thai silk industry after World War II, and today, preserved as a museum, contains a priceless collection of Asian objects d’ art. Public Parks Queen Sirikit Park was built to commemorate the 60th birthday anniversary of HM Queen Sirikit. A big pool in the park contains three fountains and a fine collection of both Thai and foreign lotuses. Lumphini Park is a huge open space once belonging to King Rama VI, who issued a royal command to turn the area into a public park as a gift to Bangkok residents. Princess Mother Memorial Park was built near the Wat Anongkharam community where Somdej Phra Srinagarindra Boromarajajonani, HRH the Princess Mother had resided during her childhood.

The park comprises a full scale model of the Princess Mother’s house and the old buildings renovated as exhibition halls displaying the life story of Her Royal Highness the Princess Mother as well as the history of the Wat Anongkharam community. Cruises The Chao Phraya River & Bangkok’s Canals (Khlongs): Nineteenth-century Bangkok was laced with canals, giving the capital the designation ‘Venice of the East’. Surviving canals, and the Chao Phraya River provide memorable vignettes of traditional waterborne way-of-life that has remained essentially unchanged over the centuries. The river and canals may be conveniently explored by chartered boat or cruise. Dinner Cruise: Riverine Bangkok offers some of the capital’s most arresting sights, particularly at night when the weather is cooler and light reflections bestow the Chao Phraya River with flickering lights. Cultural Performances and Theatres Chaloem Krung Royal Theatre is located on Charoen Krung Road (New Road) near the Old Siam Plaza. Thai dramas and plays are usually held while Khon or Thai musical dance drama is a special event that is staged occasionally. Traditional Thai Puppet Theatre presents the Hun Lakhon Lek puppet show.

The establishment of this theatre was inspired by the intention of Master Sakhon Yangkhieosot or Joe Louis, a National Artist of 1996, who wishes to preserve the art of operating Hun Lakhon Lek puppets. Hun Lakhon Lek usually performs the story of Ramakian, the Thai version of the Ramayana epic. Sakhon Nattasin is currently the only performing troupe of Hun Lakhon Lek in Thailand. The troupe received the Thailand Tourism Award presented by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) in 2000 in the category of Recreational Attraction. Patravadi Theatre is renowned for its lavish productions, this outdoor theatre has gained popularity through its modern adaptations of classical Asian literature, with each play demonstrating an ingenious blend of various theatrical techniques. Siam Niramit has state-of-the-art cultural performances which have achieved international standards. It uses special techniques integrated with drama to depict the history of each region of Thailand including depictions about hells, the forest of Himmaphan, heavens and lands beyond imagination from Thai literature. There is also a spectacular performance of Thailand’s arts and cultural heritage.

The show is staged by more than 150 performers in a luxurious theatre with a capacity of more than 2,000 seats. Shopping Thailand has a variety of shopping experiences from street markets to world class luxury malls. Tourists have historically always preferred markets and bazaars to the other forms of shopping. The Chatuchak weekend market is one of the largest shopping destinations in Bangkok. Water markets are gradually disappearing, but remain strong tourist attractions as many tours are offered through the canals on which the markets are located. Bangkok includes over 15 world class malls situated around Bangkok, many centered around Sukhumvit Road and Ploenchit-Ratchaprasong. There are approximately 25 shopping malls, 35 lifestyle shopping centers, 40 department stores, 55 superstores, and 1,100 convenience stores around Bangkok. Festivals and Events Bangkok Songkran Festival (April) The traditional Thai New Year is an occasion for merriment all over the city, but most notably at Sanam Luang, near the Grand Palace, where the revered Phra Phuttha Sihing image is displayed and bathed by devotees.

In the Wisutkasat area, a Miss Songkran beauty contest is held and accompanied by merit-making and entertainment. Khao San Road, Bang Lamphu area is also one of the high-spots in the city where locals and tourists play water by the water-throwing activities. Royal Ploughing Ceremony (May) An ancient Brahman ritual, conducted at Sanam Luang, in which farmers believe, is able to forecast the abundance of the next rice crop. The event is a result of a series of ceremonies that are conducted by Phraya Raek Na, portrayed by a high-ranking official from the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives who wears colourful traditional costumes. This ceremony was re-introduced in 1960 by H.M. King Bhumibol Adulyadej and is considered the official commencement of the rice-growing season. H.M. The Queen’s Birthday Celebration (12 August) To display their loyalty and to honour Her Majesty Queen Sirikit on the occasion of her royal birthday, the Thai people decorate their houses and public buildings. Around Bangkok, Ratchadamnoen Avenue, the area around the Grand Palace and other well-known locations are bedecked with coloured lights and magnificent adornments.

Trooping of the Colours (December) Their majesties the King and Queen preside over this impressive annual event, held in the Royal Plaza near the equestrian statue of King Chulalongkorn. Dressed in colourful uniforms, amid much pomp and ceremony, members of the elite Royal Guards swear allegiance to the king and march past members of the royal family. H.M. The King’s Birthday Celebrations (5 December) H.M. King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the world’s longest reigning monarch is well beloved and deeply respected by all Thais old and young. The occasion of his royal birthday provides his loyal subjects the opportunity to express their reverence for him. All over the country, buildings and homes are elaborated and the area around the Grand Palace is spectacularly illuminated.

Bangkok's Full Name The full ceremonial name of the city given by King Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke, and later edited by King Mongkut, is: Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Yuthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniwet Mahasathan Amon Phiman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanukam Prasit. This ceremonial name is composed in combination of two ancient Indian languages, Pāli and Sanskrit. According to the romanisation of these languages, it can actually be written as Krung-dēvamahānagara amararatanakosindra mahindrayudhyā mahātilakabhava navaratanarājadhānī purīramya uttamarājanivēsana mahāsthāna amaravimāna avatārasthitya shakrasdattiya vishnukarmaprasiddhi.

It translates to "The city of angels, the great city, the eternal jewel city, the impregnable city of God Indra, the grand capital of the world endowed with nine precious gems, the happy city, abounding in an enormous Royal Palace that resembles the heavenly abode where reigns the reincarnated god, a city given by Indra and built by Vishnukarma". Local school children are taught the full name, although few can explain its meaning because many of the words are archaic, and unknown to all but a few. Most Thais who do recall the full name do so as a result of its use in a popular song, Krung Thep Mahanakhon (1989) by Asanee-Wasan Chotikul and will often recount it by recalling the song at the same time, much in the same way that English speakers might sing the alphabet song while reciting the English alphabet. The full name of the city is listed by Guinness Book of Records as the world's longest place name.

Information based on Golf Planet Holidays.com Thailand Golf Holidays for Luxury Thailand Golf Breaks from Read More >> Hide More >> Thailand Golf Breaks Thailand is also one of the premier tourist destinations in the world with nearly 10% of GDP coming from tourism, so they know how to look after visitors, and the golf courses and resorts are brilliant in taking care of their guests. The Thai language itself is challenging to master, but Thai people are happy to help foreigners learn a few words to help them get around. However, English is typically the common currency for cross-cultural conversation as Thailand hosts visitors from around the world. Thailand is nearly the size of Spain and there are 65m citizens with about 7m living in the capital, Bangkok. Thailand has a tropical climate with temperatures ranging from 19 C to 38 C degrees. It is generally hot and humid: typical of its location within the tropics. You could divide Thailand into three seasons: “hot” season, rainy season, and “cool” season, though Thailand’s geography allows you to find ideal weather somewhere in the country throughout the year.

Thailand hotels are some of the finest in the world, whether they are five-star luxury spa retreats or quaint family-run beachfront bungalows. The best prices are during Thailand’s off-peak season (May to August), while the most expensive prices are typically during the cool season (December to February). While Thailand’s seasons are generally divided into the hot season, cool season, and rainy season, in reality it’s relatively hot most of the year. The weather in central, northern, and northeastern Thailand are mostly dry from November and May with the cool season from November to February and the hot season from March to May. The rest of the year is rainy season. In Thailand’s inland provinces the seasons are clearly defined: between November and May the weather is mostly dry and the cool season and hot season occur from November to February and March to May respectively. The other inland season, the rainy season, lasts from May to November and is dominated by the southwest monsoon, during which time rainfall in most of Thailand is at its heaviest. The southern, coastal region of Thailand really has only two seasons – rainy season and dry season.

Fortunately, for those planning a beach holiday, Thailand’s two coasts have slightly different rainy seasons, allowing visitors to find sunny beaches nearly year round. On the Andaman or west coast, where Phuket, Krabi, and the Phi Phi Islands lie, the southwest monsoon brings heavy storms from April to October, while on the Gulf of Thailand or east coast, where Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, and Koh Tao lie, the most rain falls between September and December. Whenever you go, expect the warmest “land of smiles” hospitality. The history of Thailand as we know it began when the Kingdoms of Lan Na and Sukhothai established highly-developed societies in the North and Central in the 13th- and 14th-Centuries. The Kingdom of Ayutthaya conquered neighbouring Sukhothai and dominated the region for the next several hundred years of Thai history. Then Burmese invaders occupied the Lan Na capital for several centuries and sacked Ayutthaya, forcing the central Thai kingdom to relocate farther south, establishing a new capital in Thon Buri near Bangkok.

In the late 18th-Century, the capital was moved across the Chao Phraya River, and the first of the current line of Kings, Rama I of the Chakri Dynasty, established the modern capital of Bangkok. Most of the people are ethnically Thai, though peoples of Chinese, Indian, Malay, Mon, Khmer, Burmese, and Lao origin are also represented. 94.6% of Thais are Buddhist, 4.6% are Muslim and 0.7% Christian. Thai people are very respectful of the religious beliefs of others and are very open toward discussing their Buddhist values with visitors. In fact, there are many opportunities in Thailand to visit Buddhist temples to learn about or study Buddhism and perhaps to learn to meditate. Thailand is a country with abundant natural resources, including a wide variety of flora and fauna, and distinct ecological zones. There are over 100 Thailand national parks, including more than 20 marine parks. If you’re interested in trekking, bird-watching or getting up close to exotic animals, you’re going to have a lot of fun.

Phuket Golf Holidays Phuket Golf Holidays Halfway between the capitals of Thailand and Malaysia and off the west cost of Thailand, lies the beach and leisure destination of Phuket Island and our Phuket Golf Holidays. Phuket Island has a long history and remains dating back to A.D. 1025 indicate that the island’s present day name used to mean crystal mountain. … Bangkok Golf Holidays Bangkok Golf Holidays Bangkok is the metropolis of Thailand. It leads the way as the centre of development and modernity in industry, commerce, economy, and transport. In addition to its unique culture and exquisite architecture, the city is full of charm, traditions, culture, archeological sites and exciting food choices. No wonder, Travel …

Question: Thon Buri was the capital of which Asian country during the 18th Century?
Answer: Thailand